NHL playoff watch: Who will win the Pacific Division 'pillow fight'?

3 hours ago 4

ESPN staffMar 26, 2026, 07:00 AM ET

It's not every day that one of the top players in the NHL refers to his division's playoff race as a "pillow fight," but such was the case this past weekend when Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid did so in regard to the 2025-26 Pacific Division.

Saturday was the second time in a three-day stretch that the Pacific teams went winless with six of them in action, which was the immediate cause for McDavid's remarks. From a longer-term standpoint, two Eastern Conference teams that are currently out of playoff position -- the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings -- would be leading the Pacific, and two more -- the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals -- would be in second place.

Nevertheless, the Pacific will qualify at least three teams for the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. And the good news is that three games on Thursday feature Pacific teams playing one another, so the division will get at least three wins!

Heading into Thursday night, the Anaheim Ducks lead the division with 84 points and 24 regulation wins through 71 games. They take on the Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET, ESPN+), who are battling for the No. 2 slot in the draft lottery. The team Calgary is "chasing" for the No. 1 spot in the lottery, the Vancouver Canucks, faces off against the Los Angeles Kings (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+); the Kings begin the night three points and seven regulation wins behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild-card spot.

The final Pacific-on-Pacific battle is between McDavid's Oilers and the Vegas Golden Knights (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). This is the current No. 2 vs. No. 3 matchup in the division and is the fourth-most-likely first-round series according to Stathletes' projections, at 62.54%.

The Seattle Kraken, who are five points behind the Preds in the wild-card race and tied in regulation wins, visit the Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+). Finally, the San Jose Sharks, whose playoff chances have taken a nosedive the past few days, are facing off against the St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+). San Jose is seven points and five regulation wins in back of Nashville.

Stathletes projects the division to finish in a similar order to what it is now: The Ducks earn the No. 1 seed (96.7 points), followed by the Golden Knights (92.0) and the Oilers (89.3). Next are the Kings (85.9), Sharks (83.7) and Kraken (80.1), all of whom fall short of the Predators (86.2) for wild card No. 2.

Every team has around 12 games remaining before the regular season concludes April 16, and we'll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch every day. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide details on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2026 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today's schedule
Last night's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Buffalo Sabres vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Montreal Canadiens

M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 Ottawa Senators
M2 Columbus Blue Jackets vs. M3 Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Nashville Predators
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild

P1 Anaheim Ducks vs. WC1 Utah Mammoth
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Vegas Golden Knights

Thursday's games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

Columbus Blue Jackets at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.
Seattle Kraken at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m.
Minnesota Wild at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Dallas Stars at New York Islanders, 7 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m.
San Jose Sharks at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m.
New Jersey Devils at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m.
Colorado Avalanche at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.
Washington Capitals at Utah Mammoth, 9 p.m.
Anaheim Ducks at Calgary Flames, 9 p.m.
Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Los Angeles Kings at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m.

Wednesday night's scoreboard

Boston Bruins 4, Buffalo Sabres 3 (OT)
Toronto Maple Leafs 4, New York Rangers 3

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 109.3
Next game: vs. DET (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 9
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 12
Points pace: 108.9
Next game: vs. SEA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 12
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 12
Points pace: 103.1
Next game: vs. CBJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 94.3%
Magic number: 17
Tragic number: N/A

Boston Bruins

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 100.2
Next game: vs. MIN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 54.7%
Magic number: 17
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 98.2
Next game: vs. PIT (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 81.8%
Magic number: 20
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 97.0
Next game: @ BUF (Friday)
Playoff chances: 39.4%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 21

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 84.3
Next game: @ STL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 8

Florida Panthers

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 85.5
Next game: vs. MIN (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 12

Metro Division

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 110.9
Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 9
Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 100.5
Next game: @ MTL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 92.1%
Magic number: 18
Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 11
Points pace: 99.3
Next game: @ OTT (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 81.4%
Magic number: 19
Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 96.8
Next game: vs. DAL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 44.6%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 20

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 93.7
Next game: vs. CHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 8%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19

Washington Capitals

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 90.0
Next game: @ UTA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 3.4%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 14

New Jersey Devils

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 86.7
Next game: @ NSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.3%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 13

e - New York Rangers

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 74.0
Next game: vs. CHI (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: OUT

Central Division

x - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 104
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 12
Points pace: 121.8
Next game: @ WPG (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Magic number: IN
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 10
Points pace: 104.8
Next game: @ FLA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 4
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Mammoth

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: vs. WSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 98%
Magic number: 16
Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 88.9
Next game: vs. NJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 46.9%
Magic number: 19
Tragic number: N/A

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 83.2
Next game: vs. COL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 5.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 17

St. Louis Blues

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 80.8
Next game: vs. SJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 7.8%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 16

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 77.4
Next game: @ PHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 12

Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 97.0
Next game: @ CGY (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 12
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 90.0
Next game: @ VGK (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 88.4%
Magic number: 17
Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 10
Points pace: 88.8
Next game: vs. EDM (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 97.9%
Magic number: 18
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 85.5
Next game: @ VAN (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 36.7%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19

Seattle Kraken

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 84.3
Next game: @ TB (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 2.3%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19

San Jose Sharks

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 83.2
Next game: @ SJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 16.9%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19

Calgary Flames

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 77.4
Next game: vs. ANA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 12

e - Vancouver Canucks

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 58.6
Next game: vs. LA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: OUT

Note: An "x" with a team's name means the club has clinched a playoff spot. An "e" means that the club has been mathematically eliminated.

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here. Atop draft boards for this summer is Gavin McKenna, a forward for Penn State.